Hopper door locking mechanism



June 8, 1965 w. L. FLOEHR 3,187,685

HOPPER DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed May 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR WAL TE]? L. FLOEHR BY 4; ATTORNEY J1me 1955 w. L. FLOEHR3,187,685

HOPPER DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed May 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR WALTER L. FLOEHR ,4,- ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,187,685HQPPER D0012 LOCKZNG MECHANISM Walter L. Floehr, Toledo, Ohio, assignorto Unitcast Corporation, Toledo, Uhio, a'corporation of Ohio Filed May4, 1960, Ser. No. 26,747 6 Claims. (Cl. 105-253) This invention relatesto mechanisms for locking doors of railway hopper cars.

Hopper door locking mechanisms are of two general types, one in whichthe operating parts are hopper mounted and the other in which thoseparts are mounted on the door. For mechanisms of the first type, themain problem is to ensure that they are contained within equipment limitlines. However, with the second type of mechanism there is the furtherproblem that if the operator is careless he may well be speared by thebar or lever used to actuate the mechanism as the door swings open underthe force of gravity. This force being considerable in any case due tothe weight of the door, and much greater if the door is backed bylading, any spearing can be serious and even fatal. It is primarily tothe solution of this problem in this second type of mechanism that thepresent invention is directed.

It therefore is the primary object of the present invention to provide ahopper door locking mechanism of the type having its operating partsdoor-mounted, wherein the operating head is of such arrangement andconstruction and so limited in its rotation as to inhibit injury to theoperator by the actuating bar as the door swings to open position.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a door lockingmechanism wherein the socket in the operating head receiving theactuating bar is so disposed as to permit ready insertion andmanipulation of the bar without danger to the operator as the doorswings open.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an operating head ofthe character described which serves, as well, as a journal for theoperating shaft and handle for the door.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detaileddescription, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and beillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a hopper door to which has beenapplied a preferred embodiment of the mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the structure of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale,taken along the lines 33 of FIGURE 1, showing the latch of the mechanismin locking position;

FIGURE 4 is a view on the section of FIGURE 3,

showing the latch in releasing position;

' FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view on an enlarged scale of theoperating head and attached portion of the operating shaft; and

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of the operating head.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like referencecharacters designate like parts, the improved door locking mechanism ofthe present invention is adapted to have its operating parts mounted ona hopper door or" a railway hopper car and, like the mechanism of mycopending application Ser. No. 833,821, filed August 14, 1959, nowPatent No. 3,139,042, dated June 30, 1964 is designed to have theassociated actuating bar swung toward rather than away from the door inunlocking the latter.

Typically, the illustrated hopper door 1 is a drop-botnow Patent No.3,127,853, dated April 7, 1964. It thus tom door, which is hinged at thetop to a door frame 2 fixed to a hopper 3 and defining a hopper opening4. Adapted to abut against the frame 2 and close the opening 4 in lockedposition, the door 1, on being unlocked, swings by gravity downwardlyand outwardly about its hinge 5 to clear the opening 4 for discharge oflading. i

For locking the door 1 in closed position, there is here employed alocking mechanism 6, characterized by the door-mounting of its operatingparts and the outward swinging of its actuating rod, bar or lever 7 onunlocking the door. Illustrated in detail in my Patent No. 3,139,042,the exemplary locking mechanism 6 has a housed keeper or catch 8 mountedon the floor sheet 9 of the hopper 3 and, as its operating parts, alatch 10 and associated structure mounted on the door 1.

The illustrated latch 10 projects through the door 1 and, exteriorlythereof, is swingably or pivotally mounted on a crank pin 11 of a crank12, which may be either a single or a double crank depending onwhetherthe locking mechanism 6 is to be adapted for operation from oneor, as here, both sides of the door. Limited in swinging relative to thecrank pin 11 by cooperating shoulders 13 and 14 on its hub 15 and thecrank arm or arms 16, respectively, the latch 10 is adapted to pull thedoor 1 from a preliminary hold position to the closed position shown inFIG. 3 and, on rotation of the crank 12 clockwise as viewed in thatfigure, to move or swing to the'release position shown in FIG. 4 atwhich the door is free to swing open.

The latch 10 is substantially centered laterally on the door 1 toequalize the distribution of the locking force and the crank 12 by whichthe latch is swung is suitably journaled for rotation about an axisparallel to the hinging axis of the door in bearings 17 straddling thelatch. Conveniently, the bearings 17 are fixed, as by welding, to anangle iron or bracket 18 extending along the outer face 19 of the doorsubstantially parallel to the latters lower or bottom edge 29. Thebracket 18 also serves to mount, adjacent the inclined outer edge 21 ofthe door, an outer bearing 22, which, with the adjacent bearing 17 ofthe pair straddling the latch 10, mounts or journals an operating shaft23 for rotation about an axis concentric with the axis of the crank 12.Fixed or otherwise driva-bly connected at its inner end to the crank 12,the operating shaft 23 has its outer end fixed or secured to a preferredform of the operating head or capstan 24 of this invention.

Designed to be made as a casting, the preferred operating head 24 has asor on its inner end portion a cylindrical boss or trunnion 25 having anaxial or central bore 26 in which is received, seated or socketed theouter end of the operating shaft 23. The head 24 is fixed to or maderigid with the shaft 23, conveniently by welds 27 laid in spacedrecesses 28 in the inner end of the boss 25. The boss 25 on the head 24not only seats the outer end of the operating shaft 23 but is itselfrotatably seated in the outer bearing and so serves as the journal forthe shaft in that hearing.

Releasably lockable by suitable means in the rotative position itoccupies in the locked condition or position of the locking mechanism 6so as to prevent accidental unlocking of the latter, the illustratedopera-ting head 24 is suited for the particular locking arrangement ofmy c0- pending application Ser. No. 853,871, filed Nov. 18, 1959,

has a slot or aperture 2%, intermediate its ends, extending radially ortransversely through its central or body The operating head 24 isdesigned to removably receive,

seat or socket the actuating bar or lever 7 used to provide the leverageneeded to facilitate operation of the locking mechanism. For thispurpose,-the operating head 24 of this invention has as or on its outerend portion an integral sleeve, tube or tubular extension or projection31, confining or having an. outwardly'openiug, preferably cylindricalsocket or recess 32 for socketing, receiving or seating the actuatingbar. Required in any case to be angularly related to the common rotativeaxis of the operating shaftg 23 and head 24, inorder for leverage to beapplied through the actuating bar, the bar-receiving socket 32 and thesleeve 31 containing it are oblique to that axis.

The particular inclination and disposition of the socket 32 and itssleeve 51 are such that, in the release position of the latch shown inFIG. 4 and of the mechanism as a whole shown in FIG. 2, their axis liesin a plane substantially parallel to the outer face 19 of the door 1with the socket opening upwardly. Swinging or rotating inwardly fromthat plane toward the keeper 8 in locking the latch 10 and, altogether,swinging or moving in an arc of less than 180 between the locked andrelease positions of the latch, the sleeve '31 not only need not swingoutwardly beyond that plane but is positively prevented from so doing bystop means inithe mechanism, here the crank 12 and the confronting outerface 33 of the 7 bracket 18 which the crank is adapted to engage onfurther rotation immediately beyond the position shown in FIG. 4. Withthe sleeve 31 so limited in its outward swing, the actuating bar 7 willcorrespondingly be contained in its swing by a plane substantiallyparalleling the outer face 19 of the door 11 and passing through therotative axis of the operating shaft 23 and head 24. Con sequently it isimpossible for the actuating bar 7 to have any substantial outwardinclination relative to the face. 19 of the door 1 and any chance thatan operator will be speared by the'bar as thedoor swings open iseffectively eliminated.

Although the extent of its projection is well within equipment limitlines imposed by the A.A.R., the preferred sleeve 31 does project beyondthe outer edge 21 of the door 1. Thus, the sleeve serves not only tosocket the actuating bar 7 but as a convenient handle for an operator toswing the door shut. Additionally, the included oblique angle betweenthe axis of the sleeve 31 and rotative axis of the operating head 24 issufficiently greater. than that between the outer and bot-tom edges 2-1and 20 of the door to ensure adequate clearance for manipulation betweenthe outer portion of the actuating bar and the adjoining side of thehopper 3, as well as the door and its frame 2 during actuation of themechanism. From the above detailed description it will be apparent thatthere has been provided an improved hopper door locking mechanism,which, among its other attributes, effectively prevents an operator frombeing injured by t e actuating bar as the door is swung open. It shouldbe understood that the illustrated embodiment is merely exemplary of theinvention and that all modifications are intended to be included'whichdo not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theappended claims.

- Having described my invention, I claim: '1. In a hopper door lockingmechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, a door-mounted latchengageable with the keeper for locking a hinged hopper door in closedposition, and a shaft rotatably mounted on said door for operating'saidlatch, the combination of an operating head [fixed to said shaft andhaving an actuating bar-receiving socket oblique to the rotative axisthereof, said socket in a release position of said latch having itsaxis'in a plane substantially parallel to an outer face of said door andbeing swingable inwardly from said plane .toward said keeper in lockingsaid mechanism, and means operative on unlocking of said mechanism forpreventing said socket from swinging outwardly substantially beyond saidplane. 2. In a hopper door locking mechanism having a hopper-mountedkeeper, a door-mounted latch engageable with the keeper for locking ahinged hopper door i closed position, and a shaft rotatably mounted onsaid door for operating said latch, the combination of an operating headfixed to said shaft and having an actuating bar-receiving socket obliqueto the rotative axis thereof, said socket in a release position of saidlatch having its axis in a plane containing said rotative axis andsubstantially parallel to an outer face of said door and being swingableinwardly from said plane toward said keeper in locking said mechanism,and means operative on unlocking of said mechanism for preventing saidsocket from swinging outwardly substantially beyond said plane whilepermitting inward swinging thereof.

3. In a hopper door locking mechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, adoor-mounted latchengageable with the keeper for locking a hinged hopperdoor in closed position, and a shaft rotatably mounted on said door foroperating said latch, the combination of an operating head fixed to saidshaft, a cylindrical boss on an inner end portion of said head andhaving an axial bore receiving an outer end portion of said shaft,bearing means on said door journaling said boss and therethrough saidouter end portion of said shaft, a socket in an outer end portion andoblique to a rotative axis of said head, said socket in a releaseposition of said latch opening upwardly with its axis in a planesubstantially parallel to an outer face of said door and being swingableinwardly from said plane toward said keeper in looking said mechanism,and means operative on unlockiing of said mechanism for preventing saidsocket from swinging outwardly substantially beyond said plane whilepermitting inward swinging thereof. 7 4. In a hopper door lockingmechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, a door-mounted latchengageable with the keeper for locking a hinged hopper door in closedposition, and a shaft rotatably mounted on said door for operating saidlatch, the combination of an operating head fixed to said shaft andprojecting beyond a side of said door, a sleeve forming an outer endportion of said head and having an outwardly opening socket, said sleeveand socket having a common axis oblique to a rotative axis of said head,said socket in a release position ,of said mechanism having said commonaxis in a plane substantially parallel to an outer face of said door andbeing swingable inwardly from said plane toward said keeper in lockingsaid mechanism, and stop means for preventing outward swinging of saidsocket substantially beyond said plane, said sleeve projecting beyond anouter edge of said door and serving as a handle for swinging said doortoward closed position.

5. In a hopper door locking mechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, adoor-mounted latch engageable with the keeper for locking a hingedhopper door in closed position, and a shaft rotatably mounted on saiddoor for operating said latch, the combination of an operating headfixed to said shaft and projecting beyond a side of said door, a sleeveforming an outer end portion of said head and having an outwardlyopening socket, said sleeve and socket having a common axis oblique to arotative axis of said head, said socket in a release position of saidmechanism having said common axis in a plane containing said rotativeaxis and substantially parallel to an outer face of said door and beingswingable inwardly from said plane toward said keeper in locking saidmechanism, and crank means interposed between said operating shaft andlatch and engageable with means fixed to said door forpreventingoutwardswinging of said socket substantially beyond said plane whilepermitting inward swinging thereof.

6. In a hopper door locking mechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, adoor-mounted latch engageable with the keeper for locking a hingedhopper door in closed,

position, and a shaft rotatably mounted on said door for head fixed tosaid shaft and projecting beyond a side of said door, a sleeve formingan outer end portion of said head and having an outwardly openingsocket, said sleeve and socket having a common axis oblique to arotative axis of said head, said socket in a release position of saidmechanism opening upwardly and having said common axis in a planecontaining said rota'tive axis and substantially parallel to an outerface of said door and being swingable inwardly from said plane towardsaid keeper in looking said mechanism, and crank means interposedbetween said operating shaft and latch and engageable With means fixedto said door for preventing outward swinging of said socketsubstantially beyond said plane while permitting inward swingingthereof, said sleeve projeoting beyond an outer edge of said door andserving as a handle for swinging said door toward closed position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,482,516 9/49Sheesley 105-308 2,638,062 5/53 Zimmer 105308 2,915,022 12/59 Dorey -10530s 2,962,982 12/60 Wine 105- 30s 10 2,962,983 12/60 Ingram 612 ai105--308 LEO QUAOKENBUSH, Primary Examiner.

JAMES S. SHANK, Examiner.

1. IN A HOPPER DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM HAVING A HOPPER-MOUNTED KEEPER, ADOOR-MOUNTED LATCH ENGAGEABLE WITH THE KEEPER FOR LOCKING A HINGEDHOPPER DOOR IN CLOSED POSITION, AND A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAIDDOOR FOR OPERATING SAID LATCH, THE COMBINATION OF AN OPERATING HEADFIXED TO SAID SHAFT AND HAVING AN ACTUATING BAR-RECEIVING SOCKET OBLIQUETO THE ROTATIVE AXIS THEREOF, SAID SOCKET IN A RELEASE POSITION OF SAIDLATCH HAVING ITS AXIS IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO AN OUTER FACEOF SAID DOOR AND BEING SWINGABLE INWARDLY FROM SAID PLANE TOWARD SAIDKEEPER IN LOCKING SAID MECHANISM, AND MEANS OPERATIVE ON UNLOCKING OFSAID MECHANISM FOR PREVENTING SOCKET FROM SWINGING OUTWARDLYSUBSTANTIALLY BEYOND SAID PLANE.